Lent Journey:Week 4

John 3:14-21

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. 

Story 

 

In March 1999 the Church of England Newspaper reported a law suit brought by a sixty-three-year-old man in New York against God. The man, whose name was Donald Drusky, argued that “Defendant God is the sovereign ruler of the universe and took no corrective action against the leaders of his church and his nation for their extremely serious wrongs, which ruined the life of Donald S. Drusky.” More specifically, Mr Drusky claimed that God should have given him the same musical skills as his favourite guitarists, and shouldn’t have robbed him of his youth. The court dismissed the case. Source: Adapted from the Church of England Newspaper

Questions 

1. There is an old saying, “If being a Christian was illegal, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” How would you fair? Do you wear your beliefs on your sleave?
2. Which image of sits most comfortably with you Jesus as judge or advocate (someone who defends you)? If Jesus is one of them, who is the other? 
3. Does the idea that someone like Hitler could be in heaven because God is merciful bother you? 
4. What injustice in the world would you most like to see ended? 
5. How would you explain this reading to someone who doesn’t believe that they have done anything wrong? 
6. Why is it easier to do wrong than right? Why is sin often more appealing? 
7. What do you like or dislike about the picture? Does it make you think of anything in particular? 
8. How does the story link in with the Bible reading? 
9. Which affects you more the reading, the story, or the image?